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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

*Insert required comment about not blogging in over a month and how crazy busy I have been.*

The boys are at the age where there is quite a bit of discussion about bodies and gender. They are processing the biological differences, but also starting to analyze some of the things they see that aren't biological. They notice their girl friends wearing dresses and having longer hair. When they are playing with their mixed gender play group I overhear them negotiating with each other about what is acceptable for boys and girls.

As the liberal lady that I am, I don't necessarily want my children to paint themselves into little blue and pink corners, but I do accept that this is a part of life and a part of basic human socialization. We humans like to categorize and define things. We put things in their place, including humans. No matter how many times I tell Lukas that boys can wear pink and girls can play with trucks, he is eventually going to have to process through these things himself.

Which brings me to the conversation my boys had in the car today. Their innocent little ramblings illustrate what these tiny people are going through as they try and figure out the world.

Lukas: I have a penis and I am a boy.

Logan: Mommy don't have a penis.

Lukas: Mommy is a a grill. You have a penis Logan.

Logan: (Raises eyebrow quizzically)

Lukas: That means you're a boy.

Logan: No, I not a boy.

Lukas: You're not a grill Logan. You have a penis.

Logan: I just a Logan.

Logan sums it up nicely. As they are working these things out, it is important to remind them that even though there are these differences, some biological and some societal, all that really matters is that you are allowed to be yourself.